17th April 2026

Vintage Trains
The Cambrian Coast Express

Locos Used 37240 & 97302 'Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways / Rheilffyrdd Ffestiniog ac Eryri'
Stock Used ?????

Route :
1Z97 : Birmingham New Street (1) to Pwllheli
1Z98 : Pwllheli to Dorridge

Loco(s) Route
37240 Birmingham New Street (2) - Soho South Jn - Soho East Jn - Perry Barr West Jn - (2) Perry Barr North Jn - Tame Bridge Parkway - Bescot Stadium - Wolverhampton - Cosford - Shrewsbury
97302 + 37240 Shrewsbury - Dovey Jn - Pwllheli
97302 + 37240 Pwllheli - Dovey Jn - Shrewsbury
37240 Shrewsbury - (reverse of outward route) - Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Bordesley Jn - Tyseley - Widney Manor - Dorridge

Notes :
(1) Originally booked to start at Dorridge with 37240 Dorridge - Birmingham New Street,
47773 Birmingham New Street - Bescot Down Loop, then 37240 to Shrewsbury, but 47773 failed
and due to the delay, the train was started at Birmingham New Street.
(2) Booked Birmingham New Street - Aston - Perry Barr North Jn, but was diverted.
(3) An option of the tour was to get off at Tywyn to travel on the Talyllyn Railway.

Source : Richard Rooker (joined/left the tour at Birmingham New Street)

Photo Review


97302+37240 on arrival into Pwllheli (photo: Richard Rooker)


37240 on arrival back at Birmingham New Street (photo: Richard Rooker)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Richard Rooker's notes & Trust)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Dorridge 07.39d Cancelled   23.55a 23.54 56.15
0.48 Bentley Heath Crossing 07/41 Cancelled   23/53 23/51 55.47
1.71 Widney Manor 07.44a ~ 07.48d Cancelled   23.48a ~ 23.51d 23.42a ~ 23.45d 54.24
- Solihull - -   23/45 23/38 52.65
7.10 Tyseley 07/56 Cancelled   23/36 23/35 49.05
7.64 Small Heath South Jn 07/57 Cancelled   23x27 ~ 23x34 23/34 48.31
9.16 Bordesley Jn 07u59 ~ 08u04 Cancelled   23/23 23/30 46.79
9.42 St Andrews Jn 08/07 Cancelled   23/21 23/29 46.53
10.14 Grand Jn 08u11 ~ 08s28 Cancelled   23/19 23/27 46.01
10.41 Proof House Jn 08/29 Cancelled   23/18 23/26 45.54
11.15
0.00		 Birmingham New Street 08.32a ~ 08.38d 08.43d   23.10a ~ 23.16d 23.11 ~ 23.23 45.00
0.54 Proof House Jn 08/40 DIV   - - -
3.55 Aston 08/46 DIV   - - -
- Soho South Jn DIV 08/50   23/05 23/03 42.79
- Soho East Jn DIV 08/51   23/04 23/01 42.46
- Perry Barr West Jn DIV 08.??   22/59 22/56 40.47
5.76 Perry Barr North Jn 08/51 08/54   22/57 22/55 40.18
9.34 Tame Bridge Parkway 0856a ~ 08.58d 09.00 ~ 09.02   22.48a ~ 22.51 22.46 ~ 22.49 36.60
9.45 Newton Jn 08/59 09/02   - - -
10.01 Bescot Down Loop 09u02 ~ 09s10 09.06 ~ 09.09   - - -
- Bescot Stadium - -   22/45 22/43 35.61
10.36 Bescot Jn 09/13 09/10   - - -
11.51 Darlaston Jn 09/16 09/12   22/38 22/38 34.43
14.50 Portobello Jn 09/20 09/17   22/33 22/35 31.44
16.40 Wolverhampton 09.26a ~ 09.29d 09.23 ~ 09.28   22.25a ~ 22.28d 22.27 ~ 22.31 29.54
16.77 Wolverhampton North Jn 09/31 09/30   22/23 22/24 29.17
17.50 Stafford Road Jn 09/33 09/31   22/14 22/13 28.44
25.37 Cosford 09/41 09/38   22/05 22/04 20.57
30.67 Madeley Jn 09/47 09/43   21/52 21/59 15.27
35.75 Wellington 09/52 09.54   21/52 21/53 10.19
45.63 Shrewsbury Abbey Foregate 10/04 10/04   21/41 21/41 0.31
46.14 - 0.00 Shrewsbury 10.06a ~ 10.39d 10.07 ~ 10.39   21.04a ~ 21.39d 21.09 ~ 21.39 0.00
English Bridge Jn 10/40 10/40   20/59 21/08 -
0.61 Sutton bridge Jn 10/42 10/43   - - -
- Westbury (Salop) Down 10/54 10/??   - - -
- Westbury (Salop) Up - -   20/44 20/?? -
19.54 Welshpool 11/05 11/05   20u24a ~ 20s38d 20.27 ~ 20.44 -
Fron Jn 11/08 11/??   20/20 20/?? -
33.42 Newtown 11/23 11/22   20u03a ~ 20s09d 20.07 ~ 20.14 -
47.10 Tallerddig 11/42 11/46   19/47 19/48 -
60.68 Machynlleth 12u02a ~ 12s04d 12/03   19u12a ~ 19s28d 19.17 ~ 19.28 -
64.67 Dovey Jn 12/10 12/10   19/04 19/09 -
74.40 Tywyn 12.29a ~ 12.33d 12.28 ~ 12.38   18.34a ~ 18.42d 18.44 ~ 18.49 -
86.34 Barmouth 13/02 13/09   17u41a ~ 18s01d 17.41 ~ 17.58 -
87.77 Llanaber 13/08 13/12   17/37 17/38 -
96.71 Harlech 13/32 13/35   17/20 17.16 ~ 17.17 -
105.61 Porthmadog 14/04 14/05   16u51a ~ 16s54d 16.47 ~ 16.53 -
115.13 Penychain 14/24 14/20   16/31 16/?? -
118.54 Pwllheli 14.33a 14.27   16.23d 16.23 -


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